Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:
Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.
For more information about the legislative process, see here.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 12, 2009 | NC | HB 1289 | Lottery Sales Ban at Check Cashing Sites | Bill Passed - House (84 - 29) |
| May 8, 2009 | FL | SB 788 | Gambling Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 35) |
| May 8, 2009 | MN | HF 1231 | 2010-2011 Cultural and Outdoor Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (78 - 51) |
| May 8, 2009 | DE | HB 100 | Reestablishing a Sports Lottery | Bill Passed - House (30 - 4) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| May 6, 2009 | CO | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| May 5, 2009 | MN | SF 2081 | 2010-2011 Economic Development Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 57) |
| May 5, 2009 | ME | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Bill Passed - House (89 - 57) |
| May 5, 2009 | ME | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Bill Passed - House (89 - 57) |
| May 4, 2009 | VT | Transportation Amendment to S 67 | Selective Service Registration by Drivers License | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 68) |
| May 4, 2009 | TN | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| May 4, 2009 | TN | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| May 4, 2009 | OR | HB 2821 | Employee Vacation Use Amendments | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| May 4, 2009 | CO | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26) |
| May 2, 2009 | ND | SB 2162 | Child Care Background Checks | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 20) |
| April 29, 2009 | National | HR 1913 | Hate Crimes Expansion | Bill Passed - House (249 - 175) |
| April 29, 2009 | WI | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| April 29, 2009 | National | HR 1913 | Hate Crimes Expansion | Bill Passed - House (249 - 175) |
| April 28, 2009 | MO | Amdt 1 | Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" | Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43) |
| April 28, 2009 | MO | Amdt 1 | Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" | Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43) |
| April 28, 2009 | OR | HB 2377 | Prohibiting Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| April 28, 2009 | CO | SB 88 | Extending Health Benefits to Domestic Partners of State Employees | Bill Passed - House (34 - 30) |
| April 28, 2009 | NY | A 801 | Renewal Requirement for Pistol and Revolver Licenses | Bill Passed - House (87 - 58) |
| April 28, 2009 | NY | A 6468 | Microstamping Requirement for Semiautomatic Pistols | Bill Passed - House (94 - 47) |
| April 27, 2009 | TN | SB 393 | Prohibiting Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (67 - 24) |
| April 24, 2009 | ND | HB 1478 | Children's Health Insurance Program Eligibility Expansion | Conference Report Rejected - House (41 - 47) |
| April 23, 2009 | OK | HB 1326 | Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research | Veto Override Passed - House (68 - 26) |
| April 23, 2009 | AL | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| April 23, 2009 | AL | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| April 23, 2009 | AL | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| April 23, 2009 | WI | SB 27 | Requires Insurance Coverage for Children's Hearing Aid Treatments | Bill Passed - House (80 - 16) |
| April 23, 2009 | MN | SF 2082 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (69 - 62) |
| April 22, 2009 | PA | A771 | Requiring Hands Free Devices for Cell Phones in Cars | Amendment Rejected - House (95 - 100) |
| April 22, 2009 | WA | HB 1517 | Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| April 22, 2009 | WA | HB 1517 | Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| April 22, 2009 | CT | SB 899 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (100 - 44) |
| April 22, 2009 | CT | SB 899 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (100 - 44) |
| April 21, 2009 | WA | SB 5288 | Probation Time Reductions | Bill Passed - House (51 - 45) |
| April 16, 2009 | NC | HB 88 | Parental Choice Between Abstinence-Only or Comprehensive Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (62 - 52) |
| April 16, 2009 | MO | HB 668 | Firearm Regulation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (105 - 50) |
| April 16, 2009 | NC | HB 88 | Parental Choice Between Abstinence-Only or Comprehensive Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (62 - 52) |
| April 15, 2009 | WA | SB 5688 | Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| April 15, 2009 | OR | HB 2794 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 12) |
| April 15, 2009 | VT | H 147 | Primary Seat Belt Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (104 - 40) |
| April 15, 2009 | NV | AJR 7 | Allowing for State Lottery | Joint Resolution Passed - House (31 - 11) |
| April 15, 2009 | WA | SB 5688 | Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| April 14, 2009 | HI | SB 777 | Requiring Comprehensive Sex Education When Using State Funds | Bill Passed - House (44 - 3) |
| April 13, 2009 | MD | HB 387 | "Lawful Status" Requirements for ID Cards, Vehicle Licenses and Permits | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 60) |
| April 13, 2009 | MD | HB 387 | "Lawful Status" Requirements for ID Cards, Vehicle Licenses and Permits | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 60) |
| April 13, 2009 | MD | SB 785 | Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (94 - 38) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/12 | HB 1289 | Lottery Sales Ban at Check Cashing Sites | Bill Passed - House (84 - 29) |
| 5/08 | SB 788 | Gambling Expansion | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 35) |
| 5/08 | HF 1231 | 2010-2011 Cultural and Outdoor Resources Budget | Bill Passed - House (78 - 51) |
| 5/08 | HB 100 | Reestablishing a Sports Lottery | Bill Passed - House (30 - 4) |
| 5/06 | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| 5/06 | SB 241 | DNA Sampling Upon Felony Arrest | Conference Report Adopted - House (52 - 12) |
| 5/05 | SF 2081 | 2010-2011 Economic Development Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (74 - 57) |
| 5/05 | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Bill Passed - House (89 - 57) |
| 5/05 | LD 1020 | Same Sex Marriage Bill | Bill Passed - House (89 - 57) |
| 5/04 | Transportation Amendment to S 67 | Selective Service Registration by Drivers License | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 68) |
| 5/04 | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| 5/04 | HB 959 | Close Handgun Permit Records | Bill Passed - House (83 - 12) |
| 5/04 | HB 2821 | Employee Vacation Use Amendments | Bill Passed - House (34 - 23) |
| 5/04 | HB 1057 | Mandatory Unpaid Parental Work Leave for Education Activities | Conference Report Adopted - House (39 - 26) |
| 5/02 | SB 2162 | Child Care Background Checks | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 20) |
| 4/29 | HR 1913 | Hate Crimes Expansion | Bill Passed - House (249 - 175) |
| 4/29 | SB 20 | Discriminatory Pay Compensation | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
| 4/29 | HR 1913 | Hate Crimes Expansion | Bill Passed - House (249 - 175) |
| 4/28 | Amdt 1 | Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" | Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43) |
| 4/28 | Amdt 1 | Allowing Pharmacists to Refuse to Provide "Abortifacients" | Amendment Adopted - House (115 - 43) |
| 4/28 | HB 2377 | Prohibiting Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving | Bill Passed - House (38 - 22) |
| 4/28 | SB 88 | Extending Health Benefits to Domestic Partners of State Employees | Bill Passed - House (34 - 30) |
| 4/28 | A 801 | Renewal Requirement for Pistol and Revolver Licenses | Bill Passed - House (87 - 58) |
| 4/28 | A 6468 | Microstamping Requirement for Semiautomatic Pistols | Bill Passed - House (94 - 47) |
| 4/27 | SB 393 | Prohibiting Texting While Driving | Bill Passed - House (67 - 24) |
| 4/24 | HB 1478 | Children's Health Insurance Program Eligibility Expansion | Conference Report Rejected - House (41 - 47) |
| 4/23 | HB 1326 | Ban on Certain Types of Stem Cell Research | Veto Override Passed - House (68 - 26) |
| 4/23 | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| 4/23 | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| 4/23 | HB 533 | Hate Crime Law Expansion | Bill Passed - House (46 - 41) |
| 4/23 | SB 27 | Requires Insurance Coverage for Children's Hearing Aid Treatments | Bill Passed - House (80 - 16) |
| 4/23 | SF 2082 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (69 - 62) |
| 4/22 | A771 | Requiring Hands Free Devices for Cell Phones in Cars | Amendment Rejected - House (95 - 100) |
| 4/22 | HB 1517 | Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| 4/22 | HB 1517 | Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| 4/22 | SB 899 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (100 - 44) |
| 4/22 | SB 899 | Same-Sex Marriage | Bill Passed - House (100 - 44) |
| 4/21 | SB 5288 | Probation Time Reductions | Bill Passed - House (51 - 45) |
| 4/16 | HB 88 | Parental Choice Between Abstinence-Only or Comprehensive Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (62 - 52) |
| 4/16 | HB 668 | Firearm Regulation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (105 - 50) |
| 4/16 | HB 88 | Parental Choice Between Abstinence-Only or Comprehensive Sex Education | Bill Passed - House (62 - 52) |
| 4/15 | SB 5688 | Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| 4/15 | HB 2794 | Mandatory HPV Vaccination Coverage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 12) |
| 4/15 | H 147 | Primary Seat Belt Enforcement | Bill Passed - House (104 - 40) |
| 4/15 | AJR 7 | Allowing for State Lottery | Joint Resolution Passed - House (31 - 11) |
| 4/15 | SB 5688 | Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights | Bill Passed - House (62 - 35) |
| 4/14 | SB 777 | Requiring Comprehensive Sex Education When Using State Funds | Bill Passed - House (44 - 3) |
| 4/13 | HB 387 | "Lawful Status" Requirements for ID Cards, Vehicle Licenses and Permits | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 60) |
| 4/13 | HB 387 | "Lawful Status" Requirements for ID Cards, Vehicle Licenses and Permits | Conference Report Adopted - House (76 - 60) |
| 4/13 | SB 785 | Inheritance Tax Exemption for Domestic Partners | Bill Passed - House (94 - 38) |